NHL player poll

Guys, relax - it's just some players' opinion, we don't even know how big of a percentage it is.

The fact that we rarely sign the biggest UFA available is because: 1) Lou has a concept of building a TEAM and not just signing whoever is out there (like that guy across the river), 2) Even when trying to sign a UFA, Lou won't always give him the insane amount of money the guy commands.

I don't believe this "nobody wants to come to New Jersey" thing at all. It's about the money. If the GM doesn't offer you as much cash as the other one, you're not a charity - you'll probably take more money to play elsewhere. When he does offer big bucks (or at least something reasonable), players come - see: Volchenkov, Kovalchuk, Zubrus.

The history of players coming back only strengthens the point that this organisation is run in a very smart way - if it was awful here, players would only run away and never look back, definitely not coming back.

....and hasn't made it past the second round of the playoffs SINCE that 2003 Cup Run.... if you want to be a hard-ass organization like this one IS, and you DON'T win....people are certainly NOT gonna wanna play there.....it's not that complex......

We are still one of the very few clubs that have made the playoffs in every single post-lockout season. I know we demand more, but the current season shows you just how little it takes for a team to completely fall apart. We lost a lot of good players in the last few years and yet we're still in the playoffs every time. Who else can say that about his team?

Fact of the matter is, every free agent we sign always demand a NTC. That and overpaying them are the only way we can get players here.

You could say that for any team that signs a FA though. Lou doesn't like overpaying (who does?) so he throws around the NTC's like they're candy. I suspect after this preseason though he might be a little more hesitant to do that in the future.

All you have to do is look at all the guys who come back after their career's over to either work with the team officially or just be 'around' all the time (Driver, Marshall). People don't run for the hills when they're not drawing a multi-million dollar paycheck. Well some do but you could say that anywhere. Like others have said, we're not for everyone but it seems like the majority of people who stay here a while either leave on good terms or return on good terms later.

Edited by NJDevs4978, 25 February 2011 - 04:08 PM.

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"The Devils have high standards, that's the difference. We have a standard to live up to every year, and a couple of teams in our area don't have the standards we do." - Pat Burns

The New Jersey Devils win Stanley Cups everywhere:-NHL record for most road wins in the playoffs - 10-1 in '95 and 10-2 in '00-NHL record for most home wins in the playoffs - 12-1 in '03

Besides the players that have stuck around for years and years, i feel like there are more than a few players and coaches that have come back to the organization. I believe that is because of how things are done and how players, coaches, and their families are treated.
I can't help but think of Lemaire's quote about how he couldn't say no to Lou because of what he's done for him and his family

They don't want to be traded somewhere where they would be scrutinized like T.O but don't want to be traded somewhere like NJ where people don't care...

right on guys

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They don't want to be traded somewhere where they would be scrutinized like T.O but don't want to be traded somewhere like NJ where people don't care...

right on guys

holy sh!t -- i was thinking about you today ....

well.. lets be honest. lets look at our coaching situation these past years, add the glamour of newark, the perceived way lou does things . not for the faint of heart -- its no wonder some studs run for broadway

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- props to Puddy for Stevens banner above -

"Stevens doesn't check a guy's age, his salary, his scoring record or his Hall of Fame credentials when he lines him up. He just hits him. "